Catching 'em young

• "Diseases in crop plants are caused by fungi, bacteria and viruses. Some of these diseases are transmitted through seeds while others are soil-borne or air-borne. Special chemicals are now available which when sprayed on plants, specifically kill these microbes without adversely affecting the plants or human beings who consume them. Pesticides such as MALATHION, DISYSTON and BHC are sprayed to control insects that eat off or damage the crops. ...Since most chemicals have some adverse side-effects, research for evolving safer control methods is continually on."

• "Wasteful use of resources should be discouraged. For example, marketing soft drinks in disposable tin cans would be a wasteful process when reusable bottles could be used. Such wasteful manufacturing processes should be prohibited but, in a democratic country like India, a person cannot be compelled to walk even a short distance to save fuel when he wishes to use his automobile."

NCERT science textbook for Class VIII